La metodologia della ricerca-azione in un’indagine sullo stress occupazionale nelle forze dell’ordine

This study aims at evaluating the usefulness of action research methodology to analyse the variables involved in occupational stress and the dynamic relations among such variables. The research was carried out in a Police Department presenting specific organizational, cultural and professional characteristics exposing the individuals to a particularly stressful condition. The study, articulated in three phases, makes use of a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. In a work group session, the subjects were involved in an interview and presented with the Occupational Stress Indicator-OSI (Cooper, Sloan & Williams, 1988) adapted to the Italian context by Sirigatti and Stefanile (2002). The interview analysis and the OSI factor and regression analysis allowed us to identify the perceived stressors (organizational and related to professional role), the individual and organizational variables involved -- mostly cultural, the most effective coping strategies (oriented to problem solving, job involvement and social support), and the most relevant stress consequences (primarily lower job satisfaction and secondarily poorer physical and psychological health). The findings represent a contribution to the debate on occupational stress research methods. Action research methodology is useful in integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches and adapting the selected instruments to the specific organization. Finally, the study grants a contribution to the evaluation of psychometric characteristics of the OSI Italian version